Unit 3: Weathering, Erosion, &

Mass Wasting
Tags Third Trimester

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Weathering

The breaking down and changing of rocks as a result of exposure to the

environment.

Types of Weathering

Physical/Mechanical Weathering (Breaking)

The breakdown of rocks into sediments without changing their

composition

Frost Action

Freeze-thaw occurs when water continually seeps into

cracks, freezes, and expands, eventually breaking the
rock apart.

Salt Action

Tafoni is an example of Salt action. This process is very

similar to the process of Frost action. The salts seep into
cracks and cause breakage.

Exfoliation (Thermal Expansion)

The outer layer of rocks undergoes repeated stress as the

temperature drastically changes regularly. Examples of
which are the desert’s day and night temperatures.

From high pressure to low pressure, it “breaks free” due

to tension

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 Eventually, the outer layers flake off in thin sheets of outer
layers of rock.

Abrasion

This occurs as wind and water (with or without

sediments) rush over rocks, causing them to bump
against one another and change their shapes. Rocks
become smoother as rough and jagged edges break off.

Metaphor: If you break off a big slab of meat and thaw it in

bits, it’ll warm up faster.

Root Wedging

When plant roots grow into rocks and eventually break

apart rocks as the plant grows.

Chemical Weathering (Change in Composition)

The altering of rocks as a result of being exposed to different

substances

Oxidation

Oxidation is another kind of chemical weathering that occurs

when oxygen combines with another substance (could
be iron) and creates compounds called oxides. Rust, for
example, is iron oxide.

More susceptible to weathering than the original rock

Dissolution of Carbonates

This is the process of rock minerals reacting with carbonic

acid. Carbonic acid is formed when water combines with
carbon dioxide. This leads to solution weathering. It can
come in the form of acid rain, which then comes in contact
with rocks and weathers them.

Factors that affect Weathering

Climate

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 Rainfall and temperature can affect the rate at which rocks weather.
High temperatures and greater rainfall increase the rate of
chemical weathering.

Rocks in tropical regions are exposed to abundant rainfall and

hot temperatures weather much faster than similar rocks residing
in cold, dry regions. Cold and dry regions are less susceptible to
chemical weathering.

Hardness

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 The Green rocks represented in the graph are a softer more fragile
rock type. Because of this, they are more susceptible to
weathering.

The Yellow rocks represented in the graph are a harder more

sturdy rock type. Because of this, they are less susceptible to
weathering.

Surface Area

If the rock is broken down into small pieces, it undergoes

chemical weathering more readily than one large piece. Smaller
pieces have more surface area for water and gases to react with the
rock. Mechanical weathering is effective at the increasing
surface area.

Erosion

The transportation of sediments that have been broken down by the

weathering process.

Mass Wasting

Describes the general downhill movement of materials such as rocks

and soil, due to gravity.

Agents of Erosion

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 Gravity

Whenever gravity pulls something downhill it is called Mass

Movement.

Soil Creep

The Gradual downhill movement of soil.

Debris Flow

The Rapid Downslope flow of debris.

Mud Flow

The downward flow of particles (Mud) and large amounts

of water.

Rock Fall

The Rapid falling of pieces of rock from a cliff or steep

slope.

Deposition

The dropping off of the sediments that have been weathered and eroded

Due to rapid and often violent deposition, mass-movement sediments tend

to be angular and unsorted.

The process of deposition is the dropping of sediment by wind, water,

ice, or gravity. Sediment is created through the process of weathering,
carried away through the process of erosion, and then dropped in a new
location through the process of deposition. When wind and water slow
down, they drop the sediments they are carrying.

Endogenic Earth Processes

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 Originate from beneath the surface of the Earth

Exogenic Earth Processes

Originate from on or near the surface of the Earth

Weathering is an Endogenic process

Faultline

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